Exercising bench comprising hinged and adjustable seating portions



Sept. 19, 1967 M. GAUL EXERCISING BENCH COMPRISING HINGED AND ADJUSTABLESEATING PORTIONS Filed March 18, 1965 FIG./

' INVENTOR. MA RTIN 6A UL Cal/anal 8 Worman United States Patent3,342,485 EXERCISING BENCH COMPRISING HINGED AND ADJUSTABLE SEATINGPORTIONS Martin Gaul, 1524 Bathurst St., Apt. 403, Toronto 10, Ontario,Canada Filed Mar. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 440,775 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-58) Thisinvention relates to an exercising bench designed to permit theexercising of various specific parts of the body at will.

There are available various kinds of exercising benches which arelimited in scope owing to the fact that they are usually manufactured inready fixed positions and are not easily adjustable. Also, these typesof benches are not adequate to perform most of the exercises normallyperformed by athletes, bodybuilders, weight lifters or any person usingweight training methods and therefore necessitates the use of several ofthese fixed type benches in the course of a training schedule thusrequiring a large area of space for equipment to perform theseexercises. This requirement for large areas of space for equipment wouldcreate a great disadvantage to the home user of weight-trainingapparatus and also increase the purchase price of complete equipment.

It is the general object of this invention to provide an exercisingbench which is readily and quickly adaptable for its use with all suchexercises performed in the inclined, horizontal or sitting positionsspecifically designed to permit such interchangeability in a simple andspeedy manner which is both cheap to make and reliable in use.

This invention also incorporates a barbell rest which may be quickly andreadily attached into position at the headof the exercising bench beinggreatly advantageous to persons performing exercises with heavy barbellweights in the horizontal position.

This invention is manufactured in such a manner that it is light instructure and may be easily manoeuvred or fixed into any requiredposition by man or woman using this exercising bench at home.

This invention is designed so that when in use in any desired positionall parts are securely locked into place with no fear of collapsingwhilst performing exercises.

A further embodiment of this invention is that it has a foot securingstrap and foot rest which, utilized with the various positions of theseating portions, the bench may be used for callisthenic exercises apartfrom exercises which necessitate the use of weights.

A further object of this invention is that the bench may be combinedreadily and easily with the exercising apparatus described in myco-pending United States patent application Ser. No. 362,767 filed April27, 1964 for Exercising Machine.

An added advantage is that as one pair of legs are hinged onto thesupport frame and are fully retractable and the remaining 'pair of legsare bolted to the support frame and may be removed, the whole bench maybe packed flat for easy transportation.

Other and more particular advantages will become apparent from thefollowing drawings in which like references refer to like parts thereofthroughout the various views and diagrams, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective illustration of the exercising bench arrangedin an inclined position with the barbell rest attached and showing thevarious fittings and attachments necessary to lock it securely intoposition;

3,342,485 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspectiveview of the pinlocking device used to lock the barbell rest intoposition;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the underside attachmentsnecessary to hinge the adjusting rods to the underside of the seatingand the bolts which enable the seating to be bolted flat to the supportframe; and

FIGURES 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d illustrate various side elevations showing thepositions in which the exercising bench may be used.

From the drawings it will be seen that the exercising bench according tothe invention comprises essentially two seating portions 10 and 11,hinged together at point 16. It may be seen in FIGURE 1 that at one endof the seating portion 11, there are retractable tubular foot rests and56, held in position to the underside of the seating by a bracket 57,and each secured by locking pins 58 and 59. The seating portions 10 and11 are supported by four adjusting rods 12, 13, 14 and 15 onto aframework base of welded angle iron 17. This framework base itself canbe adjusted into an inclined position by retracting the two legs 18 and19 on their appropriate hinges 20 and 21. When the base is used in ahorizontal position the legs 18 and 19 are held securely into positionby locking pins 22 and 23.

The remaining two legs 24 and 25 at the head of the framework base 17are bolted into position and rigidity is maintained by boltedcross-members 26 and 27 and further rigidity for the upper longitudinalmembers 28 and 29 is maintained by central cross-bar 50.

Bracing tube members 30 and 32 located at points 31 and 33 are utilizedfor the purpose of receiving the adjusting rods 12 and 13 which arehinged to the seating portions 10 and 11 by the method as shown inFIGURE 5. The adjusting rods 12 and 13 pass through holes in the bracingtubes 30 and 32 and are fully adjustable up or down by means of holesbored at regular intervals along the adjusting rods 12 and 13 as shownin FIGURE 3. When the adjusting rods 12 and 13 are: brought into theirrequired position they are securely locked into position by means of alocking pin 34, which passes through the bracing tube and the requiredhole in the adjusting rod.

It may be seen therefore that by manipulating the two pairs of adjustingrods 12, 13 and 14, 15 and locking them into any desired position theexercising bench may be used in many various positions, some of whichare illustrated in FIGURES 6a, 6b, 6c and 6a.

A further embodiment of this invention is a foot securing strap 35 whichwhen not in use may be secured out of the way by a retaining clip 36 asshown in FIG- URE 5. Also may be seen two sets of bolts 51 and 52 whichenable the seating portions 10 and 11 to be bolted FIGURE 2 is an endelevation of the exercising bench showing the use of the barbell rest;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the pinlocking device usedin conjunction with the adjusting rods to lock the seating into a raisedor lowered position;

flat to the support frame, the bolts fitting into appropriate holes inthe frame, one 53, at the head. of the frame and one 54, formed into thecross-bar 50.

A barbell rest 43 may be incorporated with the exercising bench andlocated into position by locating pins 37 and 38 and secured by lockingpins 39 and 40 as shown in FIGURE 2. This barbell rest consists of abase strip 44 to which is welded two uprights 4 1 and 42, one at eachend. On this base are also welded two lugs 45 and 46 into which thelocking pins are located. The two uprights are held rigid by across-member 47 in which is bored two holes to receive the two locatingpins 37 and 38, and at their tops are welded two cradle-shaped strips 48and 49 into which the barbell rests.

From the above description it may be seen that the invention may beutilized in various positions to suit various exercises, each positionbeingof special importance in exercising specific sets of muscles.FIGURES 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d illustrate various positions of the exercisingbench.

The seating portions and 11 may be bolted firmly flat to the supportframe by pushing the bolts on the underside 51 and 52 into theirappropriate holes 53 and 54, thus giving the seating a fully horizontalposition.

Similarly, when the seating portions are in the lower position using theadjusting rods on the support frame with legs 18 and 19 as shown inFIGURE 6a, the exercising bench becomes practically horizontal and issuitably arranged for such exercises incorporating the use of weights asthe seated dumbbell press, bench press and tricep extension essentiallyfor developing the deltoid and tricep muscles in the shoulder area, thethigh curling exercise essentially for developing the thigh bicepmuscles, or such calisthenic exercises as leg raises which develop themid-abdominal section of muscles.

When the seating portions 10 and 11 are raised into an inclined positionon the support frame with legs 18 and 19 lowered as shown in FIGURES 6band 6c, the exercising bench becomes suitable for such exercises asdumbbell or barbell pullovers and dumbbell arm exercles, or suchcallisthenic exercises as leg raises which deserratus magnus muscles inthe upper chest region, or any seated, incline, dumbbell or bar-bellcurls or presses essentially for developing muscles in the shoulder andupper arm regions.

When the seating portions 10 and 11 are raised into an inclined positionon the support frame with legs 18 and 19 retracted such as shown inFIGURE 6d, the exercising bench becomes ideally suitable for suchexercises as sit-ups or inclined leg raises essentially for developingthe upper and lower abdominal muscles.

Thus, it may be seen that the function of the exercise bench is toprovide as many various positions as possible for the application ofnumerous types of exercises whereby each exercise in conjunction withthe position of the exercising bench exercises specific sets of musclesin the body.

It may also be seen that by raising or lowering the adjusting rods theangle of inclination of the seating portions may be enlarged ordecreased at will to suit individual requirements.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is here made by way of ex ample only. The invention isnot to be taken as limited to the specific steps described butcomprehends all such variations that come within the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An exercising bench apparatus comprising:

two seating portions hinged together and adjustably mounted on afabricated support frame;

adjusting rods hinged to the underside of said seating portions;

bracing means fastened laterally to said support frame and having holesformed therein to receive said adjusting rods;

fastening means associated with said bracing means for releasablylocking said adjusting rods;

a plurality of holes formed in said adjusting rods for alignment withholes formed in said bracing rods at an angle to said holes for saidadjusting rods;

locking pins for securing said adjusting rods with said bracing rods;

legs at one end of said support frame retractably hingedly mountedthereon and securely lockable in their extended position;

legs at the other end of said support frame being bolted into positionto allow for disassembly; and,

:a barbell rest attachment releasably engageable with said exercisingbench.

2. An exercising bench apparatus comprising:

two seating portions hinged together and adjustably l d n f b catedsupport frame;

a barbell rest attachment releasably engageable with said exercisingbench comprising;

two uprights attached, one at each end, to a base strip;

cradle-shaped supports fitted to the top of each said upright;

a cross-bar attached at each end to said uprights oriented forattachment at one end of said support frame;

lugs attached to said base strip for attachment at the base of said oneend of said support frame;

lock-ing pins to engage into said holes formed in said lugs and saidholes at base of said legs at one end of said support frame;

and locating means on the upper part of said one end of said supportframe to receive said cross-bar.

3. An exercising bench apparatus comprising:

two seating portions hinged together and adjustably mounted on afabricated support frame;

adjusting rods hinged to the underside of said seating portions;

bracing means fastened laterally to said support frame and having holesformed therein to receive said adjusting rods;

fastening means associated with said bracing means for releasablylocking said adjusting rods;

legs at :one end of said support frame retractably hingedly mountedthereon and securely lockable in their extended position;

legs at the other end of said support frame being bolted into positionto allow for disassembly;

a foot retaining strap secured to one end of one said seating portion;

and foot rests releasably secured to the underside of a said seatingportion and being retractable thereunder.

4. An exercising bench apparatus comprising:

two seating portions hinged together and adjustably mounted on afabricated support frame;

adjusting rods hinged to the underside of said seating portions;

bracing means fastened laterally to said support frame and having holesformed therein to receive said adjusting rods;

fastening means associated with said bracing means for releasablylocking said adjusting rods;

legs at one end of said support frame retractably hingedly mountedthereon and securely lockable in their extended position;

legs at the other end of said support frame being bolted into positionto allow for disassembly;

a foo-t retaining strap secured to one end ing portion;

foot rests releasably secured to the underside of a said seating portionand being retractable thereunder;

locking bolts secured to the underside of said seating portions forlocking said seating portions fiat on said support frame;

and holes in said support frame to receive said lockof said seatingbolts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,733,922 2/1956 Diego 272582,817,522 12/1957 Margulies 272-58 3,000,632 9/1961 Fuchs 272583,075,518 1/1963 Sellner 272--58 3,112,108 11/1963 Hanke 272-583,286,708 11/1966 Gartner 272-58 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. J. BOVASSO, R. J, APLEY, Assistant Examiners,

